Party Crashers: Wild 1, Avs 0 as Harding shuts out Colorado

Martin Havlat carries the mail as Harding stones Avalanche in Denver

The Minnesota Wild closed out their 2009-10 season series against the Colorado Avalanche with a 1-0 shutout by backup goaltender Josh Harding, and a spectacular 3rd period goal by Martin Havlat, his third goal in his last 5 games, where Havlat shot the puck into the net, while having no less than three Avs players on his back while doing so. The shutout was Harding's fourth all-time NHL shutout.

Harding, who had been injured over the past weekend, was pressed into service when starting goalie Niklas Backstrom developed back spasms after the game vs. Columbus last Saturday night. Harding had played in back-to-back games in his NHL career only once before last night (when he won, 5-2, vs. Detroit) and tonight's game vs. a Colorado team which had won their last six straight at Pepsi Center.

Reports after the game were that Owen Nolan took a puck in the hand during the latter stages of the third period, and that he is listed as of now as questionable. The Wild end their six-game season series against the Avs with a 5 win, 1 loss record.

The Wild start the three-game road trip with two very important points, but the road does not get any easier, as the Next Game is at San Jose, Saturday, Jan. 30, 9:30 PM Central (7:30 PM Pacific) Time, HP Pavilion at San Jose. (Wild TV: FSNorth; Sharks TV: CSN California; both feeds in HD; XM Radio, Ch. 209)

-- WRT